Electric water heater

Deplorable me

Deplorable me

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just started leaking and will be looking a replacement. Based on my initial research, it looks like $5 to 6 hundred to replace. Anyone know of a cheaper source than the big box stores?
 
How old is your heater, depending on make and model it may have some warranty time left.
Electrics are easy to replace and are not as expensive as the newest gas models with FLIR
 
I got a great deal on a tankless from FaucetDepot.com. The tankless saved us @ 400gal of propane a year & I got it, after rebate, for $600. There's a guy in Holly Springs that gets scratch/dent deals. He had new Rinnai's for $100 a while back. For a tank type, I was told to get the 12 yr warranty tanks. They're better made and more efficient due to heavier insulation.
https://www.faucetdepot.com/prod/Ta...quid-Propane-Tankless-Water-Heater-126717.asp
 
Short Fuse said:
I just bought a Rheem 3 months ago and it leaked after 2 days. So I wouldn't reccommend them.
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6 year has full warranty for parts and labor 9 year has two year parts and labor, balance parts only.
Did you get another or buy a different make?
 
Short Fuse said:
I just bought a Rheem 3 months ago and it leaked after 2 days. So I wouldn't reccommend them.
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Their Better Business Bureau rating sucketh! When I read reviews, Rheem excelled at ways to get out of warranties. The Rinnai and Takagi reviews weren't great either. I had a Takagi previously it ran great and saved a ton, so I bought one for the new house.
 
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Button Pusher said:
6 year has full warranty for parts and labor 9 year has two year parts and labor, balance parts only.
Did you get another or buy a different make?
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I fixed it myself. Geting it from the store to the house and hooked up was to much of a PIA to rip it out and haul it back for a exchange.
 
On a scale of "moderate handyman" to "get a plumber you idiot" how tough is a swap? BTW, my old one does not have the connections on the top like the newer one's I'm seeing. Both connections and the drain are on the side. Mine just went out, but it's 14 years old so not too unexpected.
 
chiefjason said:
On a scale of "moderate handyman" to "get a plumber you idiot" how tough is a swap? BTW, my old one does not have the connections on the top like the newer one's I'm seeing. Both connections and the drain are on the side. Mine just went out, but it's 14 years old so not too unexpected.
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I'd say it's fairly straightforward. You can see what you have now, and that needs to be disconnect and reconnected. Sounds like you'll have additional work for yours.

Do your two water connections come down from above and then connect on the side? As in can you cut them shorter and connect them (using flexible braided lines) at the top?

I'd consider myself a "moderate handyman" for the fact I'm willing to attempt it before paying somebody. I did mine several months ago with another member here watching over my shoulder and giving me some advice. The gas connection is what had me more concerned than the water.

I'd definitely attempt it again. The other option for me is I found a guy that would do it for $100 labor once you bought the parts.
 
BigWaylon said:
I'd say it's fairly straightforward. You can see what you have now, and that needs to be disconnect and reconnected. Sounds like you'll have additional work for yours.

Do your two water connections come down from above and then connect on the side? As in can you cut them shorter and connect them (using flexible braided lines) at the top?

I'd consider myself a "moderate handyman" for the fact I'm willing to attempt it before paying somebody. I did mine several months ago with another member here watching over my shoulder and giving me some advice. The gas connection is what had me more concerned than the water.

I'd definitely attempt it again. The other option for me is I found a guy that would do it for $100 labor once you bought the parts.
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City water line in and the house line are above the tank. So re plumbing them is a possibility particularly with the flex hose. I tore all the insulation off when I got home from work but just don't feel like putting a lot of brain power into it now. I have a buddy that can help if I need to get serious about soldering anything. I'm going to go break some clays in the morning and then come back and start figuring this out.
 
You can use compression fittings if you don't want to solder the connections.
Watch some YouTube to see if you can do it.
I sell them at Home Depot. Rheem one of the largest along with AO Smith.

Take some photos of your heater along with the mfg label to get the correct model.
 
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chiefjason said:
City water line in and the house line are above the tank. So re plumbing them is a possibility particularly with the flex hose. I tore all the insulation off when I got home from work but just don't feel like putting a lot of brain power into it now. I have a buddy that can help if I need to get serious about soldering anything. I'm going to go break some clays in the morning and then come back and start figuring this out.
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As mentioned above (while I was going to find a link), the "shark bite" braided lines make it fairly simple. They'll push onto the In and Out lines and screw onto the top of the heater. Fairly painless install.

Assuming you have standard 3/4" inlet and outlet, you're looking for something like this at any Lowe's, Home Depot, etc:

IMG_9737.PNG




...and after that's handled, finish up my mag pouch if it's not already done!! :p
 
BigWaylon said:
As mentioned above (while I was going to find a link), the "shark bite" braided lines make it fairly simple. They'll push onto the In and Out lines and screw onto the top of the heater. Fairly painless install.

Assuming you have standard 3/4" inlet and outlet, you're looking for something like this at any Lowe's, Home Depot, etc:

View attachment 19878




...and after that's handled, finish up my mag pouch if it's not already done!! :p
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I got it molded and dried today. Need to test it and dye it. Any idea when your buddy is coming by?
 
Pink_Vapor said:
Their Better Business Bureau rating sucketh! When I read reviews, Rheem excelled at ways to get out of warranties. The Rinnai and Takagi reviews weren't great either. I had a Takagi previously it ran great and saved a ton, so I bought one for the new house.
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They go by date of mfg if receipt is not available.
My heater started leaking after 8.5 years and I got my money back, no prorating, at Home Depot. Got a new one.
 
Deplorable me said:
located in Kenly. Heater is a '94 model so it has served us well.
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The older tanks were built like Shermans. The new ones are built like Yugo's. On purpose.
I replaced my heater. Standard basic electric type. I got the cheapest one I could find at Lowes...less than $300.
That was 10 years ago.
My water supply is from a spring well. It's a preppers dream...never stops flowing. The water is delicious clear and clean. But it's heavy with minerals and will kill water heaters.
The secret is really no secret. Drain the heater and flush it to remove sediments at least once a year and change out the zinc anode regularly, every 2 years or so. If you can clean an AR15, you can do this with less tools and less time.
Feed the electric through a timer and the cost to run it can be equal or less than a tankless. Mine 'runs' 8 hours a day and I always have plenty of hot.

ETA; If you have women in the house forget about any savings on hot water. Women were invented to use hot water and burn up air conditioning. You'll hafta live with that.
 
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When my wife is too hot, she twists the thermostat dial as if she were trying to avoid running into a deer.

"That makes it cool off faster."
 
I purchased a 40 gal. electric from Lowe's in December 2016 for about $450. That price also included tax and a new 3500 watt element to replace the 4500 watt element that it came with. The price on the heater pre-tax was about $400 IIRC.
 
Well, got ours installed today. Had to redneck engineer the connections to swap it from side mount to a top mount heater and still keep the hot water recirculator and the pressure tank. Would have been really easy if not for re plumbing the connections.
 
I'm sure that others know about this, Duke Power has an electric water heater replacement program for 6.95 per month. If your water heater goes out THEY pay to have it replaced. Parts AND labor...... Something to think about....
 
amnesia said:
never thought about that till today
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Seems to me you could find a better deal if it fell off the back of a truck. Just sayin. ;) If in fact it's stolen, even though a deal, you run the risk of getting pinched for "Receiving Stolen Goods". I'd call it a gamble. :D If you buy one legally it will be cool. They don't sell preheated ones. Let me see how many more of these left handed descriptors I can come up with....
 
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